1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, broadly speaking, to a gear box oil pumping system.
More specifically, this invention relates to a system in which a gear box pumps heated oil out of the gear box housing to a radiator for cooling and thence back to the gear box after cooling, via a reservoir.
Even more particularly, this invention relates to a system driving a riding lawn mower, in which the gear box pumps heated oil out of the gear box housing to a radiator for cooling and then back to the gear box, via a reservoir, fluid pumps and fluid motors turning the driving wheels of the lawn mower.
2. Description of the Prior Art
No systems similar to that disclosed herein are known to the inventors.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and efficient gear box oil pumping system.
Another of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel system in which the gear box pumps heated oil out of the gear box housing to a radiator for cooling, and thence back to the gear box after cooling.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a novel system in which the gear box oil travels to and from a reservoir.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a novel system for use with a riding lawn mower, in which the gear box oil travels through a fluid circuit including fluid pumps and wheel-driving fluid motors.
Still other and further objects of this invention will become apparent by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings, and to the appended claims.
The foregoing objects are attained by providing oil conduits communicating between the housing of a gear box and an oil reservoir, and by using one of the gears in the gear box to perform an additional function, viz. to pump cooled oil from the oil reservoir to the gear box housing, and to permit heated oil from the gear box housing to travel to the oil reservoir. Various other oil conduits conduct gear box oil from the oil reservoir to fluid pumps, fluid motors turning the wheel-driving motors of the lawn mower, and the radiator.